Library
Youth Programs
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It’s Winter Reading time! Read, earn a free raffle ticket each week for a Grand Prize, and spin the wheel for fun giveaways! Sponsored by the Friends of Kent Memorial Library
Suffield’s History and Notable People Honored
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Trees have both common and scientific names, such as Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus).
Suffield Volunteer Ambulance Association Receives Prestigious National Honor
The Suffield Volunteer Ambulance Association (SVAA) has been recognized on the national stage as the 2026 EMS Agency of the Year by the National EMS Management Association.
Director’s Corner
Let’s Get Acquainted
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Hello old friends and welcome to my new acquaintances! Some of you may remember me from three or more decades ago when I was employed at the Kent Memorial Library.
People/Business
Crumbled Foundations Replaced
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Connecticut news has been full of stories about all those crumbling foundations discovered under houses in eastern Connecticut. It turns out that some of the pyrrhotite-contaminated concrete found its way across the Connecticut River, and Suffield has identified about half a dozen cases of crumbling foundations in town. Here’s a story of one of the first to be repaired. It turned out pretty well, and Joe and Karen Kreuzer provided a very friendly interview for the Observer. Married 30 years now, the couple moved into their home on Austin Street in 2007 with their adolescent daughter and young son.
Churches
MLK, Jr. Remembered
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Guest preacher at this year’s Martin Luther, Jr., Day observance January 19 at Third Baptist Church was the Rev. Dr. Jeff Powell, of the New Antioch Baptist Church in Hartford, shown above in Suffield. The service was wonderfully musical and moving, and Dr. Powell delivered a powerful message.
Government/Town
Suffield Winter Farmer’s Market
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The Suffield Winter Farmers Market’s last event for the season will be February 8 and we are teaming up again with the Agriscience program.
This Winter Market will be held indoors at the Large Animal Facility (LAF) in the northeast corner of the high school parking lot (behind the green house) at 1060 Sheldon Street in West Suffield. This means shoppers and vendors can do business in a great area with easy access and parking. Check out our Facebook page – Suffield Farmers Market for a list of vendors and more details. Market hours are from 10 a.m. to 1p.m. Let us use local vegetables, fruit, eggs, honey, baked goods, jams, herbs, plants and craft items during the winter months, buying local and supporting our farmers and Agriscience students. For more information on the Suffield Winter Farmer’s Market, please contact Ellie Binns @ Suffield Zoning and Planning or ebinns@suffieldct.gov. You can also visit our website www.suffieldfarmermarket.com or call at 860-668-3848.
Organizations
Allagash, Maine Scout Adventures
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I am a Life Scout in Troop 260, Suffield, Connecticut. I am working on my Communications Merit Badge and would like to tell you about a trip that our Troop takes every other year, that I have been fortunate enough to have gone on twice now.
Organizations
Suffield Players Present Clever Comedy
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The fun’s back in dysfunctional as The Suffield Players present the clever comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang on February 13, 14, 15, 21, 22, *23, 28 and 29 at 8 p.m. (*2 p.m. Matinee) at Mapleton Hall in Suffield, CT.
People/Business
Suffield Native Nominated for Academy Award
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Suffield native Greg Butler was just nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for his work on “1917.” The film is nominated in a total of 10 categories including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score and Best Cinematography.
Schools/Sports
New Musical Premiers at SHS
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On December 5, 6, and 7, Suffield High School’s Drama Club had the rare opportunity not only to be part of a play’s premier, but also to work with the play’s author and director, Carl Casinghino, one of SHS’s great teachers.
Schools/Sports
Suffield High School’s Kindness Crew
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Since cancer has affected many of our lives, The Kindness Crew decided that working with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute along with the Jimmy Fund, would be the best possible choice to raise and donate as much as we can for cancer research.
Schools/Sports
Rotary Students of the Month
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Rotary Student of the Month for November
Congratulations to Eiren Klesczewski who was selected as the Rotary Student of the Month for November! Eiren is a senior at Suffield High School and has volunteered in several groups throughout her years here at the high school. Eiren is involved with Chick-Fil-A Leader Academy, where she helped organize a Trivia Night to raise money for the Dustin Doyon and Brianna Mailloux Scholarship Fund. This group also organized a movie night for elementary aged children, where they collected socks to donate to those in need for the winter. Eiren is also a member of our Wildcat Advisory Group.
Schools/Sports
Superintendent’s Update
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The Superintendent’s FY2021 Budget Recommendation was presented to the Suffield Board of Education at its December 5, 2019 meeting. The $36,509,475 proposal was a 2.71% increase over the 2019-2020 budget of $35,547,870. With fixed costs accounting for the largest percentage of the budget increase, significant efforts were made to put forth a modest proposal that was in alignment with the mission and goals of the Suffield Public Schools. The major initiatives for the 2020-2021 school year reflect our increasing demands for literacy instruction, Special Education programming, high school coursework, elementary STEM programming, high school guidance, and digital learning. In addition, funding has been requested to address the reoccurring maintenance needs of our school facilities.
Schools/Sports
The Observer Staff Visits 5th Graders At McAlister Intermediate School
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On December 3 and 4 the fifth-grade students got a visit from the staff at The Suffield Observer. The fifth-grade teachers asked the Observer to talk to the students as part of their journalism unit. Do you ever struggle to think of an idea to write about? Well, students also struggle sometimes, and the staff at the Observer opened up their presentation by explaining how they get ideas for articles. Another thing they talked to us about is that your facts need to be true because you don’t want people to get false information.
Suffield Community Aid
Ongoing Programs
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The community brought holiday cheer to 226 Suffield residents. SCA extends sincere thanks to the many individuals, families, organizations, churches, businesses and Town departments that helped to make the 2019 Holiday Basket Program such a great success. Eighty-six Suffield households, comprising 226 men, women and children, had a more enjoyable holiday season because of the generosity of others!
Suffield Community Aid
Stay Warm This Winter!
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SCA taking applications for the CT Energy Assistance Program. These government programs are designed to help offset the winter heating costs for financially eligible households so that their health is not jeopardized by the inability to afford critical heat. Please contact SCA to schedule an appointment at 860-668-1986.
Government/Town
New Town Employees in Key Roles
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The Town of Suffield welcomes three new employees: John Spencer, Chief of Services for the Suffield Volunteer Ambulance Association; Alex Kaminski, Chief Operator of the Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA); and Francine Aloisa, Interim Director of Kent Memorial Library (KML).
Organizations
The Return of the Suffield Community Calendar
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With the new year, The Suffield Observer is bringing back the Suffield community calendar. This popular feature was eliminated several years ago because of the challenge of keeping the information up-to-date. The calendar is being reintroduced now as part of a cooperative effort with the Suffield Cultural Council, an informal group of community services and nonprofit organizations serving the Town of Suffield. Email SuffieldCuturalCalendar@gmail.com to submit future events to the community calendar.
Organizations
Preservation Workshop
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If you have family heirlooms you’d like to preserve or display, join Suffield Historical Society members for a discussion on Wednesday, February 19, at the Kent Memorial Library at 7 p.m.
Organizations
Ice Harvest
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Once again, weather permitting, the Suffield Historical Society, Suffield Land Conservancy and Noble & Cooley Museum will host ice cutting on the Mill Pond in Granville, Mass. (Water Street) from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 1.
History
A Moment in Time: Old Photos Invited from Our Readers
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Some of the stores along Main Street were already closed in this circa -1966 view of the Town Center, looking south toward Bridge Street a few years before demolition for redevelopment. The large building at the right is the old Town Hall, vacant since 1963.